Objective: To assess the influence of isolated congenital heart disease (CHD) on fetal venous Doppler blood flow velocity waveforms.Methods: Doppler flow velocimetry was performed in the inferior vena cava and ductus venosus in 146 consecutive fetuses with antenatally diagnosed CHD. Gestational age ranged between 19 and 39 weeks. Fetuses with isolated CHD without non‐immune hydrops fetalis (NIHF) (Group A, n = 89) were separated from seven fetuses showing isolated CHD with NIHF (Group B) and 50 cases complicated by chromosomal or other extracardiac malformations, intrauterine growth restriction or non‐cardiogenic NIHF (Group C). The control group comprised 109 healthy fetuses of uncomplicated pregnancies. Individual peak velocity index for veins (PVIV) measurements were converted into their Z‐scores (delta values) for statistical analysis.Results: There was no statistical difference between fetuses with isolated CHD (Group A) and controls, for the delta PVIV of neither the ductus venosus nor the inferior vena cava. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences between non‐isolated CHD fetuses (Group C) and controls for both vessels. However, in a separate analysis of isolated right heart malformations compared with the remaining isolated heart malformations (Groups A and B), a significant difference was observed for the ductus venosus, but not the inferior vena cava. There was an overall survival of 62%. In Group A, 58% of fetuses survived despite increased PVIV and 22% of fetuses with normal venous Doppler had an adverse outcome. All fetuses with cardiogenic NIHF (Group B) died.Conclusion: Doppler studies of the ductus venosus and inferior vena cava in fetuses with isolated CHD do not present sufficient alterations to be a reliable marker for screening purposes for CHD in mid‐second‐ and third‐trimester fetuses. Furthermore, venous Doppler did not predict fetal outcome in cases of isolated CHD. Abnormal venous Doppler results were mainly attributable to myocardial dysfunction and also to severe right heart obstruction even in the absence of congestive heart failure. Therefore, venous Doppler studies are clinically helpful in indirectly monitoring cardiac function in fetuses with cardiac malformations. Copyright © 2003 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has gained prominence in medical imaging, particularly in obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN), where ultrasound (US) is the preferred method. It is considered cost effective and easily accessible but is time consuming and hindered by the need for specialized training. To overcome these limitations, AI models have been proposed for automated plane acquisition, anatomical measurements, and pathology detection. This study aims to overview recent literature on AI applications in OB/GYN US imaging, highlighting their benefits and limitations. For the methodology, a systematic literature search was performed in the PubMed and Cochrane Library databases. Matching abstracts were screened based on the PICOS (Participants, Intervention or Exposure, Comparison, Outcome, Study type) scheme. Articles with full text copies were distributed to the sections of OB/GYN and their research topics. As a result, this review includes 189 articles published from 1994 to 2023. Among these, 148 focus on obstetrics and 41 on gynecology. AI-assisted US applications span fetal biometry, echocardiography, or neurosonography, as well as the identification of adnexal and breast masses, and assessment of the endometrium and pelvic floor. To conclude, the applications for AI-assisted US in OB/GYN are abundant, especially in the subspecialty of obstetrics. However, while most studies focus on common application fields such as fetal biometry, this review outlines emerging and still experimental fields to promote further research.

(1) Background: The aim of this study was to compare perinatal outcomes and complication rates of vesicoamniotic shunting (VAS) before 17 + 0 weeks in isolated LUTO (lower urinary tract obstruction) with the Somatex^® intrauterine shunt vs. the Harrison fetal bladder shunt. (2) Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study in two tertiary fetal medicine centers. From 2004–2014, the Harrison fetal bladder shunt was used, and from late 2014–2017, the Somatex shunt. Obstetrics and pediatric charts were reviewed for complications, course of pregnancy, perinatal outcome, and postnatal renal function. (3) Results: Twenty-four fetuses underwent VAS with a Harrison (H) shunt and 33 fetuses with a Somatex (S) shunt. Live birth rates and survival to last follow-up were significantly higher in the Somatex group, at 84.8% and 81.8%, respectively, vs. 50% and 33.3% in the Harrison group (p = 0.007 and p < 0.001). The dislocation rate in the Somatex group (36.4%) was significantly lower than in the Harrison group (87.5%) (p < 0.001). The median time to dislocation was significantly different, at 20.6 days (H) vs. 73.9 days (S) (p = 0.002), as was gestational age at dislocation (17 (H) vs. 25 (S) weeks, p < 0.001). Renal function was normal in early childhood in 51% (S) vs. 29% (H) (p = 0.11). (4) Conclusions: VAS before 17 + 0 weeks gestational age with a Somatex shunt improves perinatal survival significantly and might even have a positive effect on renal function, probably due to the lower dislocation rates. A normal amount of amniotic fluid in the third trimester was the best predictor of normal renal function in early childhood.

Ultrasound imaging stands as a fundamental technology in the realms of obstetrics and gynecology, utilizing high-frequency sound waves to create detailed images of the internal structures of the body